Diascia plant named ‘Balwinorg’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Diascia  plant named ‘Balwinorg’ characterized by its orange-colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, upright and spreading growth habit.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Diascia×hybrida.

Variety denomination: ‘Balwinorg’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Diasciaplant botanically known as Diascia×hybrida and hereinafter referred toby the cultivar name ‘Balwinorg’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program inGuadalupe, Calif. during December 2002. The objective of the breedingprogram was the development of Diascia cultivars with continuousflowering, medium green-colored foliage, and well-branched, upright andspreading growth habit.

The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar was the proprietaryDiascia×hybrida breeding selection designated 3795a-1, not patented,characterized by its deep orange-colored flowers, medium green-coloredfoliage, and upright growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the newcultivar was the proprietary Diascia×hybrida breeding selectiondesignated 3057-4-4-2-2, not patented, characterized by itsapricot-colored flowers, small-size dark green-colored foliage, andupright spreading growth habit. The new Diascia was discovered andselected by the inventor as a single flowering plant within the progenyof the above stated cross-pollination during March 2003 in a controlledenvironment at Guadalupe, Calif.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings sinceMarch 2003 at Guadalupe, Calif. and West Chicago, Ill. has demonstratedthat the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all characteristics,as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successivegenerations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedlyobserved and can be used to distinguish ‘Balwinorg’ as a new anddistinct cultivar of Diascia plant:

-   -   1. Orange-colored flowers;    -   2. Medium green-colored foliage; and    -   3. Moderately vigorous, upright and spreading growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parentprimarily in growth habit and from plants of the male parent primarilyin flower color.

Of the many commercially available Diascia cultivars known to theinventor, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is‘Balwhistang’, not patented. However, in side by side comparisons,plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Balwhistang’ in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar are less floriferous than plants        of ‘Balwhistang’; and    -   2. Plants of the new cultivar are less spreading than plants of        ‘Balwhistang’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typicalflower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in thephotographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detaileddescription, which accurately describes the color of ‘Balwinorg’. Theplants were grown in 10 cm pots for 7 weeks in a greenhouse at WestChicago, Ill.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habitof ‘Balwinorg’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual flower of‘Balwinorg’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype mayvary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature,light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is TheR.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England,2001 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significanceare used. The color values were determined on Jul. 11, 2005 between 3:00p.m. and 4:00 p.m. under natural light conditions, in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants producedfrom cuttings taken from stock plants and grown in a doublepolycarbonate-covered greenhouse under conditions comparable to thoseused in commercial practice. The plants were grown at West Chicago, Ill.in 10 cm pots for 7 weeks utilizing a soilless growth medium. Greenhousetemperatures were maintained at approximately 62° F. to 75° F. (17° C.to 24° C.) during the day and approximately 52° F. to 60° F. (11° C. to15° C.) during the night. Greenhouse light levels of 5,000 to 8,000footcandles were maintained during the day.

-   Botanical classification: Diascia×hybrida cultivar Balwinorg.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary Diascia×hybrida breeding            selection designated 3795a-1, not patented.        -   Male parent.—Proprietary Diascia×hybrida breeding selection            designated 3057-4-4-2-2, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.        -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 6 to 9 days.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 21 to 28            days.        -   Root description.—Fibrous.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Crop time.—Approximately 5 to 7 weeks from a rooted cutting.        -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Moderately vigorous,            upright and spreading.        -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:            Approximately 19.0 cm. Width: Approximately 36.4 cm.        -   Branching habit.—Freely basal branching. Pinching improves            branching. Approximately 8 branches per plant with lateral            branches potentially forming at every node.        -   Branch.—Strength: Moderate. Shape: Square in cross section.            Length: Approximately 26.2 cm. Diameter: Approximately            2.1 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color: Closest to 144B with            overlay of 183B. Internode length at center of branch:            Approximately 2.2 cm.        -   Foliage.—Number of leaves per main branch: Approximately 8.            Fragrance: None. Form: Simple. Arrangement: Opposite.            Aspect: Petiole is at an acute angle to stem and leaf blade            is at a right angle to stem. Shape: Ovate. Margin: Dentate.            Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate. Venation pattern: Pinnate.            Length of mature leaf: Approximately 2.8 cm. Width of mature            leaf: Approximately 1.5 cm. Texture of upper and lower            surfaces: Glabrous. Color of upper surface of mature            foliage: 137C with venation of 146A. Color of lower surface            of mature foliage: Closest to 138B with venation of 144C.            Petiole length: Approximately 5.8 mm. Petiole diameter:            Approximately 1.2 mm. Petiole texture: Glabrous. Petiole            color: 144C.-   Flowering description:    -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Balwinorg’ is freely flowering under            outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous            blooming from spring through autumn and year round in            greenhouse environment.        -   Time to first flower.—Approximately 9.5 weeks from sticking            of an unrooted cutting.        -   Lastingness of individual bloom.—Approximately 3 to 4 days.-   Flower description:    -   -   Type.—Solitary, five lobed and zygomorphic. Quantity per            plant: Approximately 92 at 7 weeks. Arrangement: Terminal            racemes. Fragrance: None.        -   Bud rate of opening.—Generally takes 2 to 3 days for bud to            progress from first color to fully open flower.        -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Ovate. Length: Approximately            6.9 mm. Width: Approximately 6.9 mm. Texture: Pubescent.            Color: Closest to 36B.        -   Corolla.—Shape: Ovate. Width: Approximately 1.8 cm. Length:            Approximately 2.0 cm. Depth: Approximately 4.3 mm.        -   Petals.—Quantity: 5 fused at base with upper and lateral            petals forming spurs. Shape: Obovate. Aspect: Downward            turning at edges. Appearance: Iridescent. Margin: Entire.        -   Two upper petals.—Apex: Acute. Length: Approximately 6.6 mm.            Width: Approximately 4.7 mm. Texture of upper surface:            Glabrous. Texture of lower surface: Glabrous at margin and            stipulate-glandular at base. Gland color: N92B. Color of            upper surface: Closest to 33C. Color of lower surface:            Closest to 37A. Length of indentation at base: Approximately            4.0 mm. Width of indentation at base: Approximately 3.0 mm.            Color of indentation at base: Two narrow elliptical areas of            6B surrounded by a narrow band of N79A.        -   Two lateral petals.—Apex: Acute. Length: Approximately            6.8 mm. Width: Approximately 6.9 mm. Texture of upper            surface: Glabrous. Texture of lower surface:            Stipulate-glandular. Color of upper surface: Closest to 33C.            Color of lower surface: Closest to 37D at base with 37B at            margin.        -   Single lower petal.—Apex: Obtuse. Length: Approximately            1.2 cm. Width: Approximately 1.3 cm. Texture of upper            surface: Glabrous. Texture of lower surface:            Stipulate-glandular. Color of upper surface: Closest to 33C.            Color of lower surface: Closest to 37D at base with 37B at            margin. Gland color: N92B.        -   Nectar spur.—Quantity: 2 per flower. Length: Approximately            6.8 mm. Diameter at base: Approximately 2.0 mm. Diameter at            tip: Approximately 1.2 mm. Texture: Stipulate-glandular.            Color: Closest to 186D with glands of N92B.        -   Pedicel.—Strength: Moderate. Aspect: Acute angle to stem.            Length: Approximately 1.7 cm. Diameter: Approximately            0.5 mm. Texture: Stipulate-glandular. Color: 144A with            glands of N79A.        -   Calyx.—Shape: Five-pointed star. Length: Approximately            2.0 mm. Diameter: Approximately 6.0 mm.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: 5. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex:            Acute. Margin: Entire. Length: Approximately 3.0 mm. Width:            Approximately 0.8 mm. Texture of upper or inner surface:            Glabrous. Texture of lower or outer surface:            Stipulate-glandular. Color: Darker than 144A Gland color:            N79A        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity: 4.            Filament length: Approximately 3.0 mm. Filament texture:            Glandular pubescent. Gland color: 92C. Filament color: 73D            at base, 73B in center and N77A at apex. Anther shape: Oval.            Anther length: Approximately 0.8 mm. Anther color: 16B.            Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color: 12A. Gynoecium:            Pistil quantity: One per flower. Pistil length:            Approximately 3.2 mm. Stigma shape: Round. Stigma length:            Approximately 0.2 mm. Stigma color: 154B. Style length:            Approximately 2.0 mm. Style color: 144C. Ovary length:            Approximately 1.0 mm. Ovary color: 144C.-   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has    been observed.-   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests    common to Diascia has not been observed.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Diascia plant named ‘Balwinorg’,substantially as herein shown and described.